Writing in Response to Complaints & Feedback

In an age of mobile devices, ready internet access, and social media platforms, written communication has become faster and easier. Couple that with an increasingly entitled generation unafraid to voice their displeasure, and you will have an increasing number of public feedback.

How that is managed can become a public affairs nightmare or a stepping stone to a better spin to your organisation’s image. This one-day course will provide you with the skills and knowledge to successfully write business correspondences, particularly in reply to public concerns, ensuring clear and accurate communication.

The skills of effective business writing will be imparted. You will come to understand and appreciate the need to plan your writing, and use appropriate structure and logical argument in your documents, learn how to write with purpose and get the desired results from each piece of writing. Finally you will also learn how to develop a tone of voice that will portray a persona in keeping with the public image of your organisation.

After the workshop, you will be able to:

• understand the process of communication
• appreciate the writing process
• know the Principles of Good Writing
• develop a tone of voice in keeping with the organisation’s public image
• vet other people’s written communication based on good writing techniques
• explain and discuss the changes in other’s written work in a sensitive manner

Outline

• Introduction and Course Objectives
• Understanding the Communication Process
• Understanding the Writing Process
  – How to use Voice and Tone
• Structuring Your Writing with the Reader/Audience in Mind
  – Apply different structures to different situations and purposes
  – Understand that writing with the reader in mind is not a one-size-fits-all activity
• Principles of Good Writing
  – Avoid the passive
  – Be positive
  – Write concisely
  – Avoid business clichés, useless words and jargon
  – Simplify
  – Use positive phrases that set standards
  – Edit using review checklist
• The Vetting Process
• Practice! Practice! Practice
  – Discussion
  – Rewriting poor samples
  – Other practice activities to enhance knowledge of good writing